Harvesting-machine



W. L. HENDRICKS.

HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15. I919.

Patented June 22, 1920.

5 SHEETSSHEET I.

w. L. HENDRICKS.

HARVESTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR I5 1918.

Patented June 22, 1920.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m a a 89% O 4 Q Q 2 I 1 S f w. L. HENDRICKS.

HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPUCA ION FLED MAR. 15. 1918.

1 ,344, 1 30. Patented June 22, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

@EWS

W. L. HENDRICKS.

HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15. 1918.

Patented June 22, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Mam-111 2 w. L. HENDRICKS.

HARVESTING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED MAR- I5| I918. 1,344,130.

Patented June 22, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

thereof.

WALTER L. HENDRICKS, or AURORA, ILLINOIS.

HARVESTlING-MACHINE. j

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Application filed March 15, 1918. Serial No. 222,596.

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harvestingllfachines, of which the following is a specification, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawlngs, forming a part The invention relates to harvesting machines, and particularly to the class of machines known as reaper-s and binders wherein the standing grain is cut by a so-called sickle bar'whichextends at one'side of the machine and the grain is tied into bundles by binding mechanism usually located at the far side of the machine from the sickle bar. The object of the invention is to provide an improved machine of this class, the improvements being especially concerned with the mechanism for carrying the loose grain from the sickle bar tothe binding mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 11s a detail plan View of a harvesting machine embodying the features of improvement provided by the invention, some of the parts being broken away and other parts being shown in section;

I Fig.2 is a rear elevation. of the machine, Fig. 31s a transverse sectional vlew, the

sectional plane being indicated by the line 3+3 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail front elevation of the machine showing some of the parts of the driving mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a detail plan sectional view taken on the line ofFig. 4;

' Fig. 6 is a detail transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail transverse section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 1;

F igs. Sand 9 are detail perspective views showing elements of'two'difi'erent conveyer mechanisms; I I f V V Figs. 10 and 11 are detail sectional views taken on the lines 1010 and 11-i-11rethe present invention are not limited in their application to machines of this type. If desired, the invention may be so employed as to completely avoid the use of any canvas apron or other form of fabric conveyer in a reaper and binder.

The sickle bar 15 (Figs. 1 and 7) extends along the forward edge of the grain platform 16 as usual. The binder mechanism may be of a well known form comprising theoscillating needle arm 17 (Fig. As shown, this mechanism operates to tie the grain into bundles upon an inclined flat deck 18 whichextends upwardly away from the inner edge of the platform 16, the binder mechanism being located adjacent the remote edge of the said deck. The usual trip finger against which the grain is packed to form a bundle and which is moved by a predetermined pressure of the grain against the same, is indicated at 19.

In carrying out the present invention the upper surface of the grain platform 16 preferably comprises a series of transversely extending fixed sheet metal plates 20 in strip form. and front and rear marginal angle plates 21, all of which are spaced apart to sprocket chains 25, one adjacent the forwardedge of the platform 16 and the other adj acent the rear edgeof the platform (Fig. 1). The two sprocket chains 25 turn over shafts 26 and 27 journaled in the platform frame, one adjacent each end of the platform. Preferably the shaft 27 extends both in front and in rear of the platform 16 and is provided with driving sprockets 28 and 29, (Figs. 2 and 3) at its opposite ends. While the conveyer fingers 23 are desirably made yielding, each of these fingers is preferably firmly held by the corresponding bar 24. As shown, each conveyer finger 23 comprises a length of resilient wire, part of which is formed into a coil 30 (Fig. 9) about the bar-24 and one end of the wire is anchored to the bar, as by being extended through a clip 31, fixed upon the bar. On the other hand, the bars are'rotatably held by the sprocket chains 25. As shown, each bar 24 extends through and is journaled in one of the links, as 32, (Fig. 9) of each of Patented June 22, 1920.

the sprocket chains 25. To prevent rotation of the bars 24 during the travel of the corresponding fingers 23 along the slots 22, each bar may be provided with backwardly turned ends 33 forming cranks which travel in ways 34 (Fig. 7) conveniently formed by securing other angle plates 35 against the angle plates 21 upon the inside. As the angle plates preferably extend only between the shafts 2G, 27 and are formed with down turned ends, as 36, (Fig. 3), each bar 24 is permitted to rotate as it turns about the shafts 27. The corresponding conveyer finger is thus drawn downwardly out of the grain, without any tendency to break the straw or interfere with the travel of the grain in any manner.

lVliile the conveyer fingers 23 leave the grain as it reaches the inner end of the platform 16, movement of the grain onto the inclined deck 18 (Fig. is readily accomplished by the provision of an intermediate conveyor mechanism generally designated- 37 and hereinafter referred to as the picker. As shown, the picker 3? is located above the inner end of the platform and extends over the adjacent part of the deck. If desired, the picker may comprise conveyer fingers 38, bars 39 and sprocket chains 40, all constructed and connected in the same manner as the corresponding parts of the platform conveyer except that the conveyer fingers 38 of the picker are proportionately much longer and preferably of such length. as to dip into grooves 41 (Figs. 1 and 11) formed in-the top plates 20 of the platform.

The two sprocket chains 40 of the picker 37 turn about shafts42, 43 (Fig. 3), suitably j ournaled in the frame of the machine and one of which, as 43, is driven through a sprocket chain 44 from the sprocket wheel 29 on the forward end of the shaft 27. Rotation of the bars 39 of the picker may be uncontrolled except during downward movement of the bars in. rear of the shaft 42 and forward movement of the bars over the adjacent part of the platform 16 and deck 18. Asshown, apair of guide plates as 45, 46, Figs. 3 and 11) suitably held upon the frame of the machine at each side of the picker, slidingly receive the adjacent crank end, as 47, (Fig. 12) of each bar 39 between them during that part of the movementofthe bar when its rotation is to be controlled. By this means the conveyor fingers 38 of the picker are swung downwardly and forwardly during the travel of the bars 39 about the shaft 42 and these fingers are held in substantially upright positions while theytravel forwardly over the adjacent portions of the platform 16 and deck 18. On the other hand, as rotation of the picker bars 39 is not controlled while these bars turn about the shaft 43, the fingers 38 are gently lifted out of'the advancing grain as they approach the limit of their forward travel. To insure that none of the grain willbecome entangled with the der the path of the bars 39 between theiseveral fingers 38.

In the form of construction illustrated i in the drawings, another endless conveyor, generally designated 48 and hereinafter referredto as the packer, is employed for continuing the movement of the grain over the inclined deck 18 and packing it against the trip finger 19 (Fig; 3) for the formation of the bundles. While the operative parts of the packer 48 are principally located below the deck, the mechanism includes traveling packer fingers 49 which project through slots 50 in the deck during their forward movement. The packer also includes a pair of sprocket chains 51 and a series of transverse bars 52 which are carried by and connect the sprocket chains 51 at intervals .The bars 52 carry the packer fingers 49 and the two sprocket chains 51 each turn over a pair of sprocket wheels 53, 54.

I11 the packer 48, the tilting of the fingers, as 49, to permit them to be gently withdrawn from the grain as they recede through the deck is accommodated by rotatably mounting these fingers upon the bars 52. As most clearly shown in Fig.8, each finger 49 is formed from a length of wire whichis doubledat its mid-length and its two parts wrapped around the corresponding bar 52 with the ends of the wire projecting beyond the same to provide a pair of guide arms 55. Associated with each. chain 51 are a pair of angle bars 56 with which the guide arms 55 are slidingly engaged during the forward travel of the correspoluling finger 49.

. As the packer 48 must partake of the movement of the needle arm 17 incident to the adjustment of the machine for operation upon grain of different lengths, the sprocket wheels 53, 54, the needle arm,

guides 56 and the portion of thetable provided with slots 50 and the slot for the needle arm, are preferably all mounted for axial movement. For this purpose, the sprocket wheels 54 are slidingly mounted upon a bar 57 which extends in the direction from the packer shaft 58 through a form of clutch mechanism which is most clearly illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. As shown, the packer shaft 58 carries a driving member 60 which is fixed upon the said shaft and is formed with a pair of axially projecting driving lugs 61, one at each side of the shaft. The sleeve 59, on the other hand,

carries a clutch plate 62 and a tilting contact member 63 is pivotally secured to the plate 62, as at 64 (Fig. 6); The contact member 63 is formed with a laterally projecting lug 65 and a spring 63' reacts between the clutch plate 62 and contact member 63 to normally support the contact member 63 in such a position that the lug 65 extends into'the path of movement of the driving lugs 61. As the packer shaft 58 rotates continuously in the direction indi cated by the arrow on Fig. 6, engagement of either one of the driving'lugs 61 with the lug 65 of the contact member 63 serves to drive the sleeve 59 and this condition is maintainedfexcept during the tying of each bundle of grain.

Vhen the bundle forming mechanism is set in motion, rotation of the sleeve 59 is arrested by swinging the contact member 63 upon its pivot64 to move the lug 65 out of the path of the driving lugs 61. This is conveniently accomplished by throwing a stop lug 66 into the path of an outwardly projecting part 67 "of the tilting contact member 63. As shown, the stop lug 66 is formed upon one of the crank arms 68 of a rock shaft 69. A spring 70, coiled about the shaft 69, acts to,turn this shaft in the direction to throw the stop lug 66 into the path of the part 67 but the shaft is nor-- malliv held against this spring actuated movement by contact of another crank arm 71 of the rock shaft 69 with a part of the bundle forming mechanism. I

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4, the crank arm 71 rises from the forward end of the rock shaft 69 and is turned laterally the crank arm 72 which actuates the needle arm 17, in theposition of rest of the last mentioned crank arm.

When the bundle forming mechanism is set in motion, the crank arm 72 moves upwardly away from the upper end of the crank arm 71 (Fig. 4) and therock shaft 69 is turned by its spring to throw the stop lug 66 (Fig. 6) into the path of the projecting part 67 of the contact member 63. The contact member 63 is thereby tilted on its pivot 64 to move the lug 65 relied upon to drive the bundle ejector arm at its upper end for engagement with out of the path of the driving lugs 61. Movement of the sleeve 59 and packer fingers 49 is thereby arrested although the packer shaft 58 continues in motion and is 70 7 3 and needle arm 17 through the clutch 74 and beveled gear 75, as usual. As the crank arm 72 approaches the position of rest illustrated in Fig. 4, it again engages the upper end of the crank arm 71. The rock shaft 69 is thereby turned against the effort of the spring 70 to throw the stop lug 66 out of the path of the part 67 (Fig. 6). Tilting of the contact member 63 by the spring 66 is thereby permitted, thus throwing the lug 65 into the path of the driving lugs 61 for actuating the sleeve 59 and packer, fingers 49.

It will be understood that the crank arm 72 is mounted upon the forward end of a rock shaft 76 which also carries the needle arm 17, (Fig. 3) and that the clutch 74 is operated by movement of the trip finger 19,as usual. Furthermore, all of the operative parts referred to herein are driven from a longitudinal driving shaft 77 (Fig. 2). As shown, the drive shaft 77 carries a sprocket wheel 78 upon its rear end and a sprocket chain 79 which turns about this wheel also turns about the sprocket wheel 28 on the rear end of the platform conveyer drive shaft 27 and about asprocket wheel 80 on the rear end of the packer shaft 58. The sickle bar 15 is driven as usual by a crank (not shown) on the forward end of the shaft 77.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a harvesting machine, in combination, a transversely slotted platform, a sickle bar in front of the platform, a flat deck extending away from the platform at one side of the same, bundle forming mechanism at the remote side of the deck from the platform, and three sets of traveling conveyer fingers all movable toward the said bundle 11 forming mechanism, one set of the said conveyer fingers being supported below the platform and operating through its slots, another set of the said conveyer fingers being supported above the deck and operat- 11 ing over a part of the same adjacent the platform and over a portion of the platform, their path of movement overlapping that of the first named set, and the third set of conveyer fingers being supported below the deck 1 and operating through the same adjacent the said bundleforming mechanism and acting as packers.

2. In a harvesting machine, in combination, a transversely slotted platform, a sickle bar in front of the platform, a fiat deck extending away from the platform at one side of the same, intermittently operable bundle forming mechanism at the remote side of the deck from the platform, three sets of traveling conveyor lingers all movable toward the said bundle forming mechanism, one set of the said conveyer fingers being supported below the platform and operating through its slots, another set of the said conveyer fingers being supported above the deck and operating over a part of the same adjacent the platform and over a portion of the platform, their path of movement overlapping that of the first named set, and the third set of conveyer fingers being supported below the deck and operating through the same adjacent the said bundle forming mechanism and acting as packers, and means for interrupting the operation of the last mentioned set of conveyor fingers during the operation of the said bundle forming mechanism.

3. In a harvesting machine, in combination, a platform having a transversely slotted top, a sickle bar in front of the platform, a binder deck cxtending'away from the platform at one side of the same, a shaft extending along each side of the platform below its said slotted top, a set of conveyer chains turning about the shafts, the upper lengths of the chains moving toward the said binder deck, swinging picker fingers carried by the chains in line with the slots of the top of the platform and means for holding the picker lingers against swinging in upright position during their movement along the slots toward the binder deck, the

said fingers being free to swing during their movement about the shaft which is at that side of the platform adjacent the binder deck. I p

4. In a harvesting machine, in combination, a binder deck, a continuously rotating shaft extending under the said deck, a sleeve mounted upon the shaft, a clutch operativ'ely connecting the sleeve and shaft, packers driven by the sleeve, bundle forming mechanism, operative connection between the shaft and bundle forming mechanism including a clutch, a trip operated by pressure of grain delivered by the packers controlling the last mentioned clutch, and means operated by the bundle forming mechanism controlling the first mentioned clutch.

5. In a harvesting machine, ineombination, bundle forming mechanism, a continuously operating shaft an arm with a stud thereon rotating with said shaft, a sleeve loosely mounted on said shaft, packer conveyor operating sprocket wheels mounted on said sleeve, an arm projecting from said sleeve, a latch pivoted to said arm spring pressed into the path of rotation of said stud and means set into operation by initial movement of said mechanism for removing said latch from the path of said stud during operationrof said mechanism whereby the packer eonveyer will not operate while said mechanism is operatin WALTER L. HENDRICKS. 

